PUBLICATIONS

Charlemagne, one of Europe’s most remarkable historical figures, died on 28 January 814. Even centuries after his death he kept firing the imagination of many and inspired rulers with good as well as bad intentions. 1200 years after Charlemagne’s death this book tells the untold story of his legacy. Why did Europe stay divided for centuries after the splitting up of his immense realm in 843? Why did France and Germany fight one another until well into the 20th century? What is the missing link between the Roman / Carolingian Realm and Europe’s recent history? You will be introduced to Francia Media, the forgotten realm that linked up the North Sea with the Mediterranean after 843. This was the cultural and economic artery of Europe. Later, the founding fathers of the European idea would stem from this area. This story and many other rich stories are part of the legacy of Charlemagne. The book shows you the struggle of Europe to bring unity in diversity, with the Carolingian past as a legitimation. Time and again the attempts failed. For half a century now Europe wants to become one Europe again. Will the dream come true this time? And can we learn anything from the past?

The Count and the Saint enables the reader to make a fascinating journey through history. The author takes you back to the 11th century when the county of Boulogne was the centre of Western Europe, a region of great strategic and economic importance. The Count of Boulogne, Eustace II, was one of the brave knights at the side of William the Conqueror in Hastings. He is depicted on the famous Bayeux Tapestry. His wife, Countess Ida, was his intelligent companion and ultimately canonized. They were to become the parents of Godfrey of Bouillon, the greatest crusader ever. The author not only tells the story of this remarkable couple, but also takes you on a journey to different places and sites that are connected to Eustace and Ida: from the castle where she was born to the church where her relics are kept, from his home town to the battlefield across the Channel.

The author, Horst van Cuyck is fascinated by history and photography. Being a descendant of the van Cuyck family, he wanted to write a book about the parents of the matriarch of his family: Ida, daughter of Eustace II and Ida of Lorraine, married Herman van Malsen and this was the beginning of the van Cuyck family. The author travelled through Belgium, France and England and visited and photographed the places where Eustace and Ida left their traces. Horst van Cuyck thus combines his two passions in this remarkable book.